Chains
by Cathywren
Summary: When Merlin and Arthur go out on their own to fight unknown dangers, they are ambushed by bandits. What will Arthur do when Merlin is captured - and will Merlin's loyalty hold, even when his own body betrays him? After all - there is only so much pain one man can endure. Set around Seasons 3-4 (Rated T for violence & some torture scenes)
1. Late Again

**A/N - Sorry it's a bit short - I promise, the next chapter will be longer! Please R&R - I'd love to hear what you guys think about it**

**Disclaimer, of course - I sadly do not own Merlin (but that's probably a good thing)**

"Merlin!" Arthur's irritated voice rang through his empty chambers. When no one responded, he sighed and crossed his arms – annoyed, but not surprised, that his servant was nowhere to be seen.

His eyes flickered around the room, taking in the mess that lay around him. Obviously, Merlin hadn't been here since he'd last seen him the night before; his boots were still unpolished, clothing lay strewn across the floor, and his plates from dinner still hadn't been cleared. "Honestly," Arthur muttered to himself, and began walking towards the door, kicking his laundry aside as he went. He stuck his head outside the door and looked down the long hallway, "What is the point of having a manservant if they are NEVER THERE WHEN YOU NEED THEM?"

At once, he heard the telltale scuffle of boots pounding across the hard stone floors, and Arthur drew himself back inside of his room, quickly moving to lounge across two chairs, staring straight at the door he knew Merlin would soon walk through, trying to appear as nonchalont as he possibly could – what Merlin couldn't see wouldn't hurt him.

"You rang?" Merlin's voice and cheeky smile greeted him as the servant carefully opened the door and stepped inside of Arthur's chambers. Incredulous at the way Merlin spoke to him; as if he weren't Crown Prince that could have him behead him, Arthur stood, biting his lip and trying to restrain his annoyed smile, "Well," He quickly proceeded to answer, well aware that the silence had stretched too thin, "Of course I rang, Merlin!" He gestured madly towards his chambers, "Look at this! You were _meant _to clean this _yesterday!_" Merlin nodded at him, eyes flashing with amusement as he walked forward to pick up the laundry in front of the door. He looked up at Arthur, raising an eyebrow as he held out a shirt with a clear bootmark imprinted on the front, "Seriously, Arthur?"

Ignoring him, Arthur pressed on, "What is the point of having a manservant," but he was already losing his momentum, as it was clear that Merlin was no longer listening to him, too caught up in cleaning up the filth, "If he never," Merlin looked up. "Sorry, what was that?"

Arthur reached over and smacked him across the back of the head. "Ouch!" Merlin cried out, turning around to glare at him, "What was that for?"

"You weren't listening," Arthur answered, voice thick with annoyance. "Now, like I was saying," He waited for Merlin to look up before continued, "What is the point of having a servant if he never does what he's supposed to do?" But Merlin just shrugged and continued cleaning, "Merlin, I'm talking to you!" He was about to smack him again when the doors opened and they both turned to see a guard standing, waiting for their attention.

Almost embarrassed – why was he _embarrassed? _– for the guard to have caught them now, he cleared his throat and quickly asked, "What is it?"

When the guard didn't immediately respond, he leaned forward, widening his eyes and pursing his lips. "Well?"

The guard snapped to attention. "The King requests your presence in the Great Hall immediately," Arthur sighed – what did his father want now? – but reluctantly nodded. The guard disappeared behind the heavy door immediately, out of sight. Arthur winced – he hated how they treated him, like he was dangerous – or worse, like he was a child. Why couldn't they treat him as they did each other? Or their friends? _When I'm King, _Arthur thought to himself, _That'll be the first thing I change. _He just wanted to be normal – a knight, with friends and a family who didn't feel the need to bow whenever he entered a room. Merlin was the only one who seemed indifferent to his importance.

"Well, go on." Merlin's smile snapped him from his daze, "Your father's awaited."

Arthur frowned. "Don't get cheeky on me, Merlin," He started to walk towards the door. "You of all people know who I am."

"Yeah, I do!" Merlin called out as he left, his teasing words reaching Arthur's ears as he strode away, "A prat!" Arthur paused, shaking his head with a smile. "And a royal one, at that!" Merlin finished.

"Just clean the room, you useless servant!" Arthur yelled back, "Or I'll have you in the stocks for the rest of the week."

And he walked away with a smile on his face, wondering how one could be friends with someone so completely different, and yet so completely the same.


	2. The Great Hall

_Merlin _

Merlin cast his eyes around the now empty room, slightly horrified at the mess that was awaiting him. Arthur never seemed to care when his clothing was strewn across the floor - he was oblivious to the state of his chambers.

Carefully, Merlin set down the plates he'd begun to clear back on the table, and walked towards the large wooden doors. He waited there, patient, until he could hear Arthur's footsteps fade into silence, and then he opened the door a crack and checked the hallway, making sure that no one was outside. He hadn't really expected there to be anyone - Arthur didn't allow any guards outside of his room, not since the... Incident. Merlin smiled at the memory of when the guards had burst into his room only to find a very furious, very _naked _Arthur Pendragon awaited him. Needless to say, Merlin had never seen them again. They probably weren't even in Camelot anymore - much less the castle.

Merlin quickly shut the door, taking care to assure himself that it was latched. He looked about the room in disdain, and muttered, "You know, Arthur, if you could at least _try _to keep your room tidy, I wouldn't have to do this." But he knew it was an impossible wish, and so, eyes flickering gold, he whispered the spell, "Astyre," and watched, a satisfied smile on his face, as the clothes, plates and bed began to clean themselves. _What's the good of magic if I'm not to use it? _He wondered, bitter, but he shook his head to rid himself of the feeling. _Someday, _he promised himself. _Someday, Arthur will make everything better._

Merlin left the room hastily, hurrying down the hallway in hopes of finding Arthur - he was curious about what Uther wanted from him. It probably wasn't important - most likely, he just wanted Arthur to go out and hunt down some beast - but with Uther, you could never guess. And Merlin wanted to be there to hear it, in case it was something that Arthur would not tell him.

He made his way down the hall, continuing with a swift pace. He did his best to stay quiet, but his boots were old and loud, and he knew that anyone could hear them from a close range. He stepped lightly, but it made no difference.

When he finally made it to the Great Hall, he paused right before the turn, peeking around the corner only to catch a glimpse of Arthur, standing idly by the door, staring at the handle. _What is the prat doing? _he wondered fondly, and watched his friend, curiosity animating his features. Arthur leaned his head forward, ear resting on the door. _He's spying! _Merlin thought, a surprised smile on his face. _Why, that hypocrite -_

"Boy!" Merlin turned, panicked, to see a guard rushing towards him. "What are you doing here?"

Merlin turned, looked around, and hurried down the hall. There were a lot of things he would do for Arthur - but being hung for spying certainly was not one of them. With a smile still lingering on his face, he sprinted down the halls and hoped for the best.

**A/N: Thank you to the people who have reviewed/followed! It means a lot. I know it's moving slowly now, but never fear - The next chapter will have a lot more action. Thank you guys for being patient! Idonotownmerlin. Sorry it's short, I have a huuuuge case of writer's block. :(**


	3. Bandits

_Arthur_

_A_rthur slowly walked towards the great hall, taking his time to look around the castle. _The walls need dusting, _He noted to himself with a smirk, _Maybe I'll make Merlin do it. _Honestly, he was surprised at Merlin's endurance - most servants would have quit by now, or at least lost their temper. Not that Merlin hadn't lost his temper before - Arthur was a firsthand victim to his sharp words - but he always did as he was asked. _Maybe it's because Merlin's a commoner, _he pondered as he grew closer to where his father was waiting, _He's used to doing this kind of work._

It was true - Merlin was just a commoner, a peasant. Nothing near as important to what Arthur was - a knight. A prince; someone with a heavier weight upon their shoulders. Merlin would know nothing of destiny, of a duty; Arthur felt weighed down, alone. No one understood, not even his only true friend.

_You could always just tell Merlin how you felt, _the voice in his head piped up as he came to a stop in front of the closed doors, nodding at the two guards who were walking past them, patrolling the hallways. He ignored the voice. _How can I reveal myself to someone who won't know how I feel, but only judge me? _No, it was better he kept this to himself. _Besides, _he argued, _Merlin never shares anything with me - why should I be honest with him?_

But somehow, he knew he was wrong.

Arthur didn't bother knocking before he walked through the doors. It was second nature to him - he'd been coming here since he was a baby, and the Great Hall was as familiar to him - if not more so - than his own chambers. As he walked, his eyes narrowed - his father sat on his throne, frowning as he stared up at the knight in front of him. Arthur paused a moment, annoyed that someone else was there.

"The bandits have taken over the forest, My Lord," The knight - Sir Leon - was breathing heavily. "It's not safe for anyone. Our patrol was almost overpowered, we were forced to retreat. It is too dangerous, sir," Sir Leon paused before continuing, "I would not send any of my men there, it would be suicide."

Uther Pendragon, who was still oblivious to the presence of his son, ran his fingers along his jaw. "Who is their leader?" He wondered, frowning up at the knight. "It is unacceptable that we should be denied passage through our own forest. Perhaps if we-"

Suddenly, he seemed to notice Arthur standing idly - if not now, slightly interested - in front of them. "Arthur," Uther sounded surprised, although he soon got himself under control, "How long have you been standing there?"

"Not long, father," Arthur began, "What were you two-" but Uther wasn't listening.

"Arthur," He said in a low voice, "I will not tolerate you listening in on my conversations. Wait outside for me to call you." When his son lingered, obviously unwilling to do as he said, Uther's expression hardened. "Now, Arthur. That is an order."

Raising his arms in defeat, Arthur turned tail and stalked out of the room. He closed the door behind him a bit harder than was probably necessary, but in that moment, he didn't care. _What is my father hiding? _Arthur wondered, looking around the hall. The King wasn't usually one to turn Arthur away, least of all when Camelot needed saving. .He only waited a second before putting his head to the door, trying to listen in on their conversation, but it was fruitless - the doors were too thick and Sir Leon and his father were too far away. He heard one of the guards yell, and turned, positive that he looked guilty, only to find that they weren't even looking at him. All Arthur heard was something about spying and then they were gone, in a clatter of swords and a whirlwind of voices.

He felt himself relax; then felt foolish for ever having been worried in the first place. After all, he was a prince - he had nothing to fear from these men.

When the doors opened, Arthur jumped back, surprised - that certainly hadn't taken long. For a moment, Sir Leon frowned, seeing the young Prince standing so close behind the doors, but he said nothing, simply nodded his head and left.

As soon as he turned the corner, Arthur shoved open the doors. "Father." He said, greeting Uther with a stiff nod.

"Arthur," Uther Pendragon turned to him, "I've called you today to talk about-"

"I want to go to the forests to fight the bandits." Arthur interrupted him, trying to force as much authority into his voice as possible. As if sensing this, Uther raised his eyebrows.

"I'm sorry?" The king asked, smiling.

Uncomfortable, Arthur repeated his words, trying to make it sound like something Uther couldn't overrule, "I am going to go to the forest to fight the bandits."

Uther laughed. "Are you, then?"

Arthur clenched his jaw, angry. Why did his father always do this? "I'm not a child, father." He said between clenched teeth. "You cannot tell me what I can and can't do."

"And I am the King of Camelot!" Uther said, smacking his hand against the table, and Arthur winced at the loud bang that followed. "It's too dangerous, Arthur!"

"What of all the innocents in those forests?" Arthur demanded, refusing to back down simply because he was afraid of what his father might say or do, "You would condemn them to death?"

Uther's voice was low. "I will not risk the lives of my knights."

Furious, Arthur stepped towards his father. "You can't just forbid me to go!"

"Yes, I can." Uther growled, "And you are not going into those forests." Arthur let out a disbelieving laugh before turning around and throwing the door open behind him. "Arthur, that is an order!"

Merlin was waiting for him right outside the doors. "What did he want?"

"Fetch the horses," Arthur commanded, a glint in his eyes. "We're going to catch some bandits."

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**A/N: I'm sorry it's taken so many chapters just to get to this part, but I wanted to provide a good background. Don't worry, much more will be happening in the chapters to come! Thanks for sticking with me. I want to thank katierosefan for reviewing, it means a lot to me! If everyone else could review, too, that'd be so awesome - it's a great motivator to write, knowing someone's actually reading. If anyone has any suggestions, please, please tell me - I'd love to get some imput.**

**Sorry it's taken me so long to update - I was working on another Merlin story I have on my page. You guys should check it out :3**

**Idonotownmerlin ****(right now)**


	4. The Forest

**A/N: Yep, Merlin still isn't mine.**

* * *

_Merlin_

The forest was cold and silent when they set off. Merlin shivered, rubbing one hand on his arm in an attempt to keep himself warm, but paused when the Prince frowned at him - Arthur didn't seem at all affected by the temperature. Sighing, Merlin urged his horse to go forward and caught up with his king.

"So, where is it that we're going?" Merlin asked, looking around the forest. Arthur noticed his nervous glance and smirked.

"What, are you afraid?"

"No!"

"You are such a _girl, _Merlin." Arthur rolled his eyes. "And if I told you, I'd have to kill you."

With a sigh, Merlin gave up - when Arthur got like this, there was no convincing him otherwise. "Then at least tell me why we had to leave in the middle of the night."

Arthur paused, as if he was considering telling him, then, "No."

Exhasperated, Merlin glared at the Crown Prince until his eyes were tired, and he settled on riding quietly through the forest.

Merlin was no idiot - he'd heard stories of the bandits that were here, and he had a sinking feeling that their mission had something to do with them. _But surely he isn't _that _stupid, _Merlin thought, surveying the land in front of his horse, _There's no way we could fight them on our own. _But the problem was, Arthur could be that stupid - Merlin just had to hope he wasn't riding towards his own death.

Suddenly, Arthur raised a hand; his signal to be quiet. _As if I wasn't already. _Merlin looked around, trying to see what the Prince could - but all Merlin saw were trees.

With a roar, bandits swarmed them. Cursing, Merlin watched as Arthur jumped off his horse and began to fight his way through the men. "Don't just sit there, Merlin!" The Prince yelled, "Fight!"

Just as Merlin was about to respond, an arrow whizzed past his ear. He leaned away, barely missing the sharp point, but fell off his horse as he ducked. "Oof." He landed on the hard ground, waiting for the air to come back to his lungs. He probably would have stayed like that forever, had he not heard the swish of a sword and feet running towards him.

Merlin forced himself to get up, eyes meeting that of the bandit running at him. There wasn't any time for a spell - his eyes glowed as the bandit soared through the air and landed against a tree. Quickly, he grabbed the sword of one of the bandits that Arthur had slayed, throwing himself into the fray. _Where's Arthur? _He thought, panicked, as the bandit in front of him found his sword glowing, melting in his hands. He couldn't see the prince anywhere. He was just about to slice through the bandit in front of him, when-

"Put down your sword, _boy._" Merlin slowly turned around, dreading what he knew he would see.

He put his sword on the ground, shaking his head - because in front of him, forced to the ground with a sword at his neck, was Arthur.

Crown Prince of Camelot.

* * *

_Arthur_

The forest was quiet - too quiet.

Next to him, he could hear Merlin's mare, anxious as she tread through the silent trees. She could obviously sense the trouble - he patted the neck of his horse, who'd began to paw the ground, as if he was trying to tell his rider something.

Arthur raised a hand and heard Merlin's horse come to a stop. His eyes surveyed the trees - someone was out there. Slowly, he drew his sword, preparing to fight.

He whipped his head around to the sound of a battle cry and saw more than twenty armed men running from the forest.

_Bandits._

Cursing, he threw himself off of his horse and turned, his sword smacking into the first bandit that ran towards him.  
"Don't just sit there, Merlin!" He cried out, for his manservant - afraid of the fight? - was still sitting on his horse as if waiting for an order. "Fight!" But he didn't let himself concentrate on Merlin for long; two bandits were running towards him and if he didn't want to get killed, he'd have to let Merlin fend for himself.

The first bandit let out a surprised cry as Arthur's blade sliced down his stomach and he fell to his knees. He parried the strikes from the other man, smacking the butt of his sword against his temple and didn't wait to see what happened as the bandit sank to the ground. He stood, and spat saliva and blood - he'd bitten his tongue.

Slowly, Arthur made his way through the wave of men - he was a Prince, damnit, he wasn't going to be beaten by untrained rogues - and was in the middle of blocking hits from a tall man when he felt it. His blood ran cold as he turned around to stare at the sword trained at his neck.

"Well, what do we have here?" The leader chuckled, tracing his sword across Arthur's face. "The Prince of Camelot?" Two men came from behind him, grabbing his arms and forcing him to the ground. "What's a wee thing like you doing out here?" Snarling, Arthur threw himself at the laughing man, but it was no use - he couldn't free his hands. "Oh, don't worry-" His toothy grin made Arthur sweat, "We'll be real kind to you. I know someone who's been looking for you."

There was only one person Arthur could think of, and his eyes widened at the thought. He tried to break away once more, almost wrenching his arms out of their sockets as he struggled to escape. The words of the leader brought him back to the fight.

"Put your sword down, _boy._" Arthur looked up, murder in his eyes, to see Merlin dropping his sword to the ground, staring back at him.

With a cry, the bandits ran towards them, and suddenly, everything went black.

* * *

**A/N: Well, what do you think? Don't worry, I have great things (laughs) in store for our dear friends. Any guesses at who they'll be taken to? Please please _please _review! It really makes my day to see what you guys think. :3**

**I'll update again soon!**


	5. Morgana Pendragon

**Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to review *blanches* but here, take a chapter and... *waves hand* **

**I haven't had a lot of inspiration lately, but I just... needed to write this. So, here you go. Enjoy~**

* * *

**_Merlin_**

Merlin woke up to a slow but painful pounding in his head, a bitter taste in his mouth, and a fairly significant amount of pain burning in his wrists.

He opened his eyes, and then regretted it, because the light was painful and he certainly didn't need any more of that. Hesitant now, he slowly opened one eye - his left one - and then, straightening himself and slowly pulling his legs into a standing position, he opened his right eye as well, and looked around.

The room was small, about the size of his room in Camelot, and it was tall. His eyes skimmed across the ceiling, taking in the crumbling stone and the only source of light, two small windows. He squinted, and wished he was higher, so that he could see the outside, maybe even see where they were. Although how that would help him, he didn't know - it wasn't as if he was going to be moving anytime soon. Half-heartedly, he tugged at the chains on his wrists, wincing as the cold metal pressed into his raw skin. No, that was most definitely not a good idea.

Licking his lips, Merlin tried to remember how he'd gotten there. He'd been in a clearing, and there were bandits... He frowned, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head as he tried to recall the chain of events. He'd used his magic, and he was winning, and then there had been Arthur on the ground with a sword to his neck and then the pain exploded in his head and then-

Suddenly, Merlin realized what was missing. _Arthur. _That foolish prat, he'd gotten them both captured, and chained to a wall, and who knew what was going to happen to them now? When he saw the insolent blonde, Merlin would most certainly be giving him a piece of his mind. Where was he, anyways? Merlin's blood ran cold at the thought of the sword that had almost sliced through Arthur's skin, and silently, he prayed that his friend was all right.

A low groan from behind him startled Merlin out of his quiet thinking, and, sucking in a breath, Merlin turned his neck in an attempt to find the source. He knew even before he looked, even though he was desperately hoping that he was wrong. Maybe he'd escaped, maybe he'd run, maybe they'd just taken Merlin and he'd managed to-

But at the sight of very blonde hair and a very red shirt, Merlin's hopes were shattered. Arthur was right next to him, similarly chained in a fashion that couldn't be very comfortable - Merlin would know, his own shoulders were still aching - and he looked very much unconscious. Merlin stared at Arthur, expression unreadable as he tried to find any injuries on his friend's body. Finding none - save a small cut on his neck and what was going to be a very painful headache when he woke up - Merlin turned away from Arthur, instead deciding to focus on their cell and any possible way to escape. It wouldn't do him any good to just hang there; if Arthur was just going to sleep, then he may as well try and get himself associated with the cave.

By now, his wrists were really hurting, and his shoulders were killing him. More than anything, Merlin wanted to be able to get those cuffs off - that, and a glass of water. His throat was incredibly dry and, dread beginning pool in his stomach, Merlin wondered how long they'd been unconscious for. As he shifted, trying to get at least _some _of the weight off his shoulders, he remembered the last time he'd been chained like this. Merlin's blood ran cold. _  
_

_No, _he thought, almost frantic now as his eyes flitted around the cold, dark cell, _No, there's no way _she's _the one who did, this, she couldn't, I would have known, I would have sensed her there, I-_

The door creaked open, and Merlin's eyes snapped up to watch the figure enter. Black ratty hair, a dirty ripped dress, and eyes, hungry, desperate eyes, took Merlin in, something in them akin to how a hunter looks at his prey.

Holding his head a bit higher - he would _not _be weak in front of her - Merlin raised his chin in a simple act of defiance as he stared down the sorceress.

Morgana Pendragon's lips curled upwards in a smirk, and then everything was on fire and his head was killing him, and the world blossomed into darkness.

* * *

_**Arthur**_

Arthur awoke to a pounding head, aching wrists, and the feeling of sharp nails being dragged against his skin.

Instantly, his eyes snapped open and he straightened his back, barely managing to conceal a wince as he moved his shoulders, changing positions - how long had he been asleep for? A long time, obviously, if it hurt to even _move._

Arthur looked around the cell, eyes squinting as he tried to adjust to the light. He'd completely forgotten about the nails - that is, until he felt them pause on his cheek and he froze, remembering.

"Hello, brother dear." Morgana Pendragon's voice echoed through the cave, too high and too sweet to fool him into thinking that anything was normal.

Then again, everything about Morgana had ceased to be normal when she'd started trying to kill him.

"Morgana." His voice was tight, he swallowed, struggling to control his emotions. "Why did you bring me here?"

"You mean 'us'," She purred, and then she was standing in front of him, fingers still trailing down his cheek, "Although, your little friend didn't manage to stay awake long enough to talk with us," her voice dripped with contempt, "Pity."

Arthur tensed involuntarily, and though he hated that he'd let her get to him, he couldn't help it when his eyes scanned the small cell. In front of him, strung up in a similar fashion and very much _not _awake, was Merlin.

"What did you do to him?" Arthur turned to look Morgana in the eye, trying push down the rising panic. He would _not _be afraid of her. She'd already taken so much - she wouldn't get his fear, too. "He's just a servant." _Please don't see the lie._

"Oh, that's right," Morgana laughed, and the sound was so wrong that Arthur wished he could cover his ears and leave and maybe even cry, because she was his _sister. _His little sister, who used to chase him around and play with dirt and laugh and cry and tease him.

And now she'd hung them up in a cave, and Arthur didn't even recognize her.

Truthfully, he wasn't sure if he wanted to.

"He's just a servant. How could I forget?" And then she smiled, and opened her mouth. "Guards!"

Immediately, the cell door opened and two heavily armed, muscled men stepped in. In a fashion that Arthur could only describe as lazily, Morgana gestured at Merlin, raised her eyebrows, and said,"Kill him."

"No!" Arthur couldn't stop himself from lunging forward, ignore the pain as it shot up his arm. "Don't _touch _him!"

"But Arthur," Morgana cooed, putting up a hand to stop the guards from stepping forward. "He's just a servant!"

Arthur didn't answer, and, with a laugh, Morgana waved away the guards and stepped closer to him.

"Sleep well, brother." Her voice whispered, and he felt her breathing, slow and warm, in his ear as he felt himself drifting off to sleep.

"You'll be seeing me again very, very soon."

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**So? Is it good? Did I do it right? All follows/favorites are so appreciated, and if you can take some time to review, it'd make my day. Thanks for being so patient with this chapter!**

**xx, Cathywren**


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